Couric Encourages 'Humanized' Clinton to 'Reveal More of Yourself'

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Telling Hillary Clinton “some observers believe” that when she got “emotional” -- as “your voice cracked and your eyes welled up” -- that “humanized you and made you much more attractive to women voters,” CBS's Katie Couric on Wednesday night cooed: “Will you be willing now to reveal more of yourself and be less reserved?” As if the “emotional” moment Monday in New Hampshire exposed the real, sensitive Hillary Clinton while the “reserved” Hillary persona of the last 15-plus years doesn't match reality. For the interview aired on the CBS Evening News, Clinton invited Couric to her home in New Castle, New York. Clinton described the incident as “Hillary unplugged” and insisted it showed “I don't see politics as a game,” but as a way of “getting in a position to actually help people.”

Couric did, at least, challenge a Clinton premise: “How can you be a real change agent when you were involved in a two-term administration in the '90s. You're yesterday's news, they think in a way?”

CBS News.com has posted video and a transcript of what aired on the January 9 CBS Evening News. An excerpt, corrected against what aired, picking up after they discussed her surprising win in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary:

COURIC: Some observers believe that moment when you got emotional on Monday, when your voice cracked and your eyes welled up, that that humanized you and made you much more attractive to women voters.

CLINTON: That moment, which obviously I've heard a lot about since, gave people maybe some insight into the fact that I don't see politics as a game. You know, I don't see it as some kind of a traveling entertainment show where, you know, you get up and you perform and then you go on to the next venue. You know, for me it is a way of figuring out what we stand for, what our values are, and getting in a position to actually help people.

COURIC: Will you be willing now to reveal more of yourself and be less reserved?

CLINTON: Well, you know, one of my young friends said well, that was like Hillary unplugged. You know, I thought, okay, you know, I can't sing, I can't play an instrument. But, you know, I will try to let people know enough about me to know that, you know, I don't need to go back and live in the White House. That's not why I'm doing this. I certainly don't need anymore name recognition. And, I mean, I just want to try to convey that we're going to have to make some big decisions in this country. This is the toughest job in the world. You know, I was laughing because you know in that debate, obviously Senator Edwards and Senator Obama were kind of in the buddy system on the stage. And I was thinking whoever's up against the Republican nominee in the election debates come the fall is not gonna have a buddy to fall back on. You know, you're all by yourself. When you're President, you're there all by yourself.

COURIC: How can you be a real change agent when you were involved in a two-term administration in the '90s. You're yesterday's news, they think in a way?